Difficult Boss

Difficult Boss

Date Posted:
November 2005

A student said she was having difficulties dealing with one of her bosses. Somehow, she never felt that she was doing a good job or accomplishing anything in her work.

It is already a great success just to be able to work with your boss at all. She is doing the same job for you as a virtuous friend, or guru. A virtuous friend removes delusions. Regard her as your Dharma path for removing delusions.

The main enemy of enlightenment, the main obstacle to generating bodhicitta, the main obstacle to making our life most useful for all sentient beings, is ego. Your co-worker is here to destroy the ego, which brings all the obstacles in life.

In terms of renunciation, also think, “She is helping me, destroying my thoughts of worldly Dharma, destroying pride, which interferes with my developing qualities of mind.”

It would be good to do a lam-rim retreat, taking your co-worker as your object and meditating on patience to reach enlightenment. You should also do a bodhicitta retreat, meditating on bodhicitta to eliminate ego, as well as a Wheel of Sharp Weapons retreat to destroy the ego.